Liquid-lift.



F, E. UCHTENTHAELER.

LIQUID LIFT-- APPLICATION FILED AUG-l3. I91]- 1,2'?9,55, Patented Sept. 24,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

101E mmms FEYERS can Puumumm WASHINGYON. n, cy

E. UCHTENTHAELER. LIQUID LIFT.

APPLICATION HLED AUG-l3. l9ll-' 1,279,558. Patented Sept. 24,1918. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

YHE mwms PETERS m. PnoTc-Lnnm, WASNINGIUN. v.1;

FRANK EDWARD LICHTENTI-IAELER, or nEw'ronHieHLAnns, MASSACHUSETTS.

LIQUID-LIFT.

Specification of Letters Patent. 'Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

Application filed August 13, 1917. Serial no. 185,951.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK EDWARD LIGH- TENTHAELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton'Highlands, inthe county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Lifts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to liquid lifts, and more particularly to lifts for elevating corrosive liquid chemicals from a lower to a higher level. v

The ordinary types of umps used for elevating liquids are usual y driven by some form of a-motor, and the pump as well as the motor require constant attention while operating. Further, pumps cannot be used advantageously for pumping many corrosive chemicals, such as concentrated acids and bases, because the liquids destroy the linings and parts of the pumps.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved li uid lift which is simple in. construction, e cient in operation, and which may be continuously operated without requiring the attention of an operator. 7 v f f:

'Another object of the invention'is-to pro- Vide an improved, float-controlled mechanism for operating a valve, by which the valve will be, effectively opened and closed when the liquid level in the float-receptacle rises and falls to definite levels.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the improved liquid lift hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which Figure 1 is .a vertical sectional view, in elevation, of a liquid lift embodying the preferred form-of the invention; Fig. 2 is adiagrammaticview showing one relation in which the improved li uidlift maybe connected with the delivering and receiving containers; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view, in elevation, showing a modified form of float for operating the lift valves.

The liquid lift, shown in the drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention is arranged to be operated by compressed air to elevate liquids from a lower to a higher level, The liquid to be elevated is held in a delivering container 10 .and flows by gravity through an inlet pipe 12 to the bottom ofa lift receptacle 14. The lift receptacle is ventedto the atmosphere to permit the receptacle to be filled with liquid, and atthe time the receptacle is filled, afloat therein is operated to close thev air vent and to operate an air pressure valve 16 to admit compressed air throughv an inlet 18 to force the liquid through an outlet pipe 20 up to a'receiving container 22.

The lift receptacle 14, shown in Fig. 1, has a comparatively small liquid volume, and is adapted to be placed-in anyv position with relation to the container 10 in, which the top of the receptacleis below the level of the bottom of the container. The materials of which the receptacle is constructed depend upon the character of theliquid to be lifted, and are so selected that the parts will not be corroded by the liquid operated upon. A cover 24 is mounted on the top of the receptacle, and a valve chest 26is secured to the top of the central portion of the cover, the joints between the receptacle cover and valve chest being pressure tight.

A valve 28 is slidably mounted in the valve chest and is secured atits lower end to .a vent pipe 30, which carries a float 32. To vent the receptacle to the atmosphere so that liquid may flow by gravity from the container 10 into the receptacle,.a series of openings, 34: are, formed in the lower end of the valve chest. These openings 34 c0m1nunicate with the valve 28 and arearranged to be connected with a series of ports 3 6 in the valve chest by means of a valve chamber 38. When the liquid has substantially filled,thereceptacle,,the float 32 rises and moves theyalve 28 toshut ofl' the ports 36 cate the position of the liquid therein.

1 To force liquid out of thereceptacle in a minimum time and thusincrease "the capacity of the lift, high pressure air in a-comparatively large volume is admitted through a the inlet 18. The compressed air admitted to the receptacle is controlled by the valve 16 which is operated through the float 32 in such a manner that the valve will be opened to force liquid out of the receptacle when it becomes filled, and closed when the receptacle becomes empty to permit the receptacle to be again filled. The air inlet 18 is connected with the valve 16 by a pipe 42, and a valve 16 in turn is connected. by means of a pipe 44 with any suitable source of compressed air. The valve 16 consists of a pressure cylinder 46, in which is slidably mounted a piston valve 48. The piston valve is operated by compressed air which is controlled through the float valve 28. To this end,compressed air from a suitable source enters a pipe 50 connected with the valve chest 26, and is admitted through valve chambers 52 or 54in the valve 28 to pipes 56 or 58 respectively, which are connected 'at one end to the valve chest 26 and at their other ends'to the opposite ends of the cylinder 46. When the valve chamber 52 is in position to bring the pipes 50 and '56 into communication, the piston 48 will be moved into position to admit pressure to the receptacle. This position is shown in Fig. 1. At this time the float is in elevated position,'and the liquid is being forced out of .the receptacle. As the piston is shifted into this position, the air at. the opposite end of the piston is exhausted through the pipe 58, the valve chamber 54, and out through an apertured plug 60 in a port 62 formed in the valve chest 26. The apertured plug 60 operates to cushion the movement of the piston 48 in the cylinder 46. When the liquid is forced out of the receptacle, the floatv will fall and move the valve 28 to bring the pipes 50 and 58 into communication through the valve chamber 54. The compressed air admitted through the pipe 58 will move the piston 48 to close the valve 16, and the air at the opposite end of the piston will be exhausted through the pipe 56, the valve chamber 52, and out through an apertured plug 64 in a port 66 formed in the valve chest 26.

When'the float 32 is raised to admit compressed air to force the liquid out of the receptacle, a gas containing member or container is used to increase the buoyancy of the float 32 to hold it in elevated position until the receptacle'has been emptied. The gas retaining member consists of a bell, which is formed by the lower side 68 of the float 32, and a downwardly extending wall 70, which is a continuation of the cylindrical wall of the float. The mouth of the bell opens close to the bottom of the receptacle 14, and the bell is vented into the upper portion of the ate the air valve 16, the incoming air strikes against the face 68 and assists in raising the float. As the float is moved upwardly, a valve 74 mounted in the upper end of the inlet pipe 18 comes into engagement with a seat 76 in the lower end of the vent pipe 30 and closes the vent pipe so that the air from the pressure inlet has to escape around the lower end of the bell as the liquid is being forced out of the receptacle 14. The air entrapped in the bell increasesrthebuoyancy of the float 32 and will hold the float in elevated position until the liquid level falls below the bottom of the wall 70, at which time the buoyancy of the float will be destroyed 80 so that the float will fall to close the valve 16 by means of the auxiliary valve 28 and open the atmospheric vents 36 in the valve. chest 26.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modified fornr of float for operating the valve 28. This float differs from the combined float 32 and gasretaining member formed by the bell I6870, in that the wall 68 of the bell is omitted. With this construction, airwill be trapped above the bottom of the vent pipe 30 as the liquid rises in the lift receptacle, and the trapped air will give suflicient buoyancy to the float to operate the valve 28and close the air vent and operate the valve 16 at the time the lift receptacle becomes filled with liquid. As the valve 28 is moved upwardly to operate the valve 16, the valve 74 will .close the pipe 30 and'the incoming air willbetrapp'ed under the float and assist in holding the float in upward position. While the compressed air is forcing the liquid out 'oftthe lift. receptacle, the float will be held :in elevated position until the liquid level has fallen below the bottom of the wall 7 0 and destroys the buoyancy of the float. WVhen the float falls, the vent pipe 30 will be opened and the incoming liquidwill fill the float up .to the levelof the bottom of the ventipi e 30 and trap air in the float to establis its 100 buoyancy.

At the time the receptacle 14 is being filled by liquid from the deliveringcontainer '10, the outlet pipe 20 is shut off from the receptacle by a check valve 78. The check valve .7 8 is connected between the pipe 20and the lower portion of the receptacle 14, and is closed by the pressure of the liquid in the pipe 20. When the compressed air is admitted to the receptacle 14, the inlet pipe 12 is shut off from the receptacle by a check valve 80. The check valve 80 is connected between the pipe 12 and the lower portion of the receptacle 14, and isoperated to close the inlet by the internal pressure in the lift receptacle. 7

The reciprocatory movements 7 of the float 32 in operating the valve 16 to admitand cut off the air pressurefrom the'receptacle 14, occur when the liquid level in the receptacle ume of liquid removed from the receptacle.

7 for each reciprocation of the'float 32 is constant and may be readily determined sothat the lift may be employed as a meter for de-' termining the volume of. liquid passing therethrough. A counter 82 is mounted on the upper end of the valve chest 26, andzis connected with'the upper :end of the valve 28 in such a manner that each reciprocation of the float will be recorded,

The mechanism for controlling the .valve for opening and closing the atmospheric vent and the; compressed air valveis simple in construction and accurate in operation. With the construction outlined abovea comparatively small float may be employed in.

the lift chamber and still effectively operate the valves. The use of a gas retaining member or bell inconjunction with a floatjpro= vides a simple mechanism which will not get out of order. The gas retaining member does not decrease the liquid capacity of the lift receptacle, and the buoyant action. of the retaining gas makes the action of the float positive. The variable buoyancy of the float serves as a convenient means for withholding the operation of the valves until the liquid level in the lift receptacle has fallen to a desired level.

The word gas as used in the claims, is intended to include any gaseous or vaporous substance, since many substances such as steam, flue gas or exhaust gases, might be used in place of compressed air force liquid out of the lift receptacle.

The preferred form of the invention having been thus described, what is claimed is 1. A liquid lift having, in combination, a pressure tight receptacle having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a float in the receptacle, a bell attached to the float, means to vent the receptacle to the atmosphere, a vent between the bell and the interior of the receptacle, means operated by the float and bell to close the atmospheric vent, and means to-supply gas to thebell to force liquid out of the receptacle.

2. A liquid lift having, in combination, a pressure tight receptacle having a liquid inlet and outlet, a movably mounted float in said receptacle, a bell attached to said float, a vent between the bell and the interior of the receptacle, an atmospheric vent in the receptacle arranged to be opened and closed by said float, a gas pressure inlet mounted in said receptacle opposite said bell, and means to admit gas through said inlet. a

3. The combination of, a pressure tight receptacle having a liquid inlet and outlet, a gas pressure inlet in said receptacle, a float in said receptacle arranged to open and close said gas inlet, a container secured to said float constructed and arranged to trap gas when gas is admitted through said inlet and means tovent the container while ,thegas inlet is closed;

4c. The. combination of, I pressure tight receptacle, a liquidinlet and outlet for said receptacle, a gas inletfor. said receptacle, a

valve for admitting gas throughsaid inlet,-,

a float operatedby the liquid in said receptacle and arrangedto actuate said valve, and

a bell attachedto thefloat arranged totrap gas admitted through said inlet, to increase the buoyancy of said float andmaintain the valve in open position until the liquid level 1n said receptacle has ,fallensuflicientlyfar to destroy thebuoyancymf said bell 1 ,5. A liquidlift having, in combination,- a; pressure tight receptacle' having a, liquid i1 let and a liquid outlet, a gas pressure inlet in said receptacle, means for .openingand closing the gas inlet, including a gas retainin memberarrangedto trap gas when it is admitted through the gas inlet to force liquid out of the receptacle, and'means for venting the gas retaining member, when the gas inlet is closed.

6. A liquid lift having,'in combination, a

pressure tight receptacle having a liquid insaid receptacle, a gas pressure inlet in said receptacle, a float in said receptacle arranged to control the admission of gas through the gas pressure inlet, and a gas retaining member arranged to trap gas when let and outlet, means to force liquid into it is admitted through said inlet, to hold the float elevated and to maintain the gas inlet open until the liquid level in said receptacle has become sufliciently low to destroy the buoyancy of said member.

7. A liquid lift having, in combination, a A

pressure tight receptacle having a liquid inlet and outlet, check valves insaid inlet and outlet, an atmospheric vent'in said receptacle, a float in said receptacle arranged toj open and close said vent, a bell secured to said float having it mouth positioned near the bottom of the receptacle, and a gas pressure inlet mounted in said receptacle and arranged to discharge into the mouth of said bell.

8. A liquid lift having, in combination, a pressure tight receptacle, a liquid inlet and outlet for said receptacle, a gas pressure inlet in said receptacle, an atmospheric vent in said receptacle, a float in said receptacle, means connected with the float for opening and closing the atmospheric vent and gas pressure inlet, a downwardly open bell secured to said float, a vent between said bell and the interior of the receptacle, and a valve arranged to close'the bell-vent when the float is moved to. admit gas to said receptacle.

9. A liquid'lift having, in combination, a pressure tight receptaclehaving a liquid indownwardly, a gas pressure inlet, vents for venting the receptacle and the bell When the gas inlet is closed to permit liquid to flow into the receptacle, and means controlled by i the float for closing the vents and: opening thegas inlettoadniit gas to the bell to force liquid out of the receptacle.

lO.-A liquid lift having, in combinatiom-a pressure tight receptacle having a liquid inlet and outlet, means to force liquid into said receptacle, a float in said receptacle comprising a downwardly open container closed onit's upper side, a ventbetween the interior of the container and the interior of the receptacle and located below the upper side of the container, a gas pressure-inlet in said receptacle opening into said container, and means connected With the float Copies of this-patent may be obtalned'for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. Q. 1

for controlling the admission of gas through let and outlet, means to force liquid intov saidreceptacle, afloat in said receptacle comprising a downwardly open, closed top container, a ventpipe mounted in said container and projecting downwardly into the interior thereof to rent gas from the container into said receptacle, agaspressure inlet in said: receptacle opening into said container, means connected With the float for controlling the admission of gas through said inlet, and a valve. for cl0sing,said vent, pipe WllB-ll gas 13 admitted below sa d c0n-' tainer. v r

' FRANK EDWARD LICHTENTHAELER. 

